Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today complained to the Election Commission against the state chief secretary alleging that he was trying to influence the voting in favour of the ruling SAD-BJP combine by pressurising officers responsible for the conduct of the Assembly election.
In a written complaint to Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, Amarinder alleged that chief secretary Sarvesh Kaushal was sending unwritten missives to the district collectors to work for the candidates of the present ruling political dispensation.
Urging the EC to replace Kaushal with some "honest, impartial and unbiased" officer in the larger public interest, Amarinder claimed this would help build the morale of the common man and save them from the present political-bureaucratic nexus and malfeasance.
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"It will also allow the subordinate bureaucracy to be more objective and fair in the conduct of elections", he added.
He alleged that the subordinate bureaucracy was feeling absolutely suffocated because of Kaushal's threats to persecute them, adding that the EC could easily verify his past antecedents.
He expressed the apprehension that the state government, through some of its committed and biased bureaucrats, will try to "manipulate and tamper" the poll process, wherever possible, and added that such a thing can be avoided only if the state bureaucracy is headed by an honest and impartial officer.
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Meanwhile, Akalis today said Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh has apparently lost the sense of proportion for writing to the Election Commission of India to transfer chief secretary Sarvesh Kaushal.
SAD spokesman and member Lok Sabha Prem Singh Chandumajra said Amarinder is so frustrated and has stooped to such a low to make a wild unsubstantiated allegation against a bureaucrat who can not defend himself as per the service rules.
He said Amarinder was free to make a virulent attack on his rivals but decency and democratic norms demand that he resist from the temptation of dragging the officials to his "dirty political discourse".
Chandumajra hoped that the EC would direct the Punjab Congress chief not to rake up such non-issues and concentrate on his poll campaign which he is yet to pick up.
The EC can not address his imaginary fears which is the result of his hallucinations, he said.
The Akali leader said Amarinder has started looking for alibis for his "impending defeat" in the ensuing elections.
"The elections are conducted under the supervision of the EC and it would take an appropriate decision regarding official appointments and transfers. Making such wild suggestions amounts to casting aspersions on the integrity and competence of the EC," Chandumajra said.
He said his (Amarinder's) request for transfer of chief secretary is likely to be "consigned to dust bin" like his previous demands of imposing President's rule in the state because his complaints are not worth the paper on which these are written.
